Where to stay, do, eat, EVERYTHING!

We love Maui! and we were married there on the beach in front of the The Westin Maui Resort & Spa. A special magical place we have taken our family on many vacations - its our go to place due to the proximity to Lahaina, Whalers Villageand especially because of their pool and awesome waterslide!. Favorite restaurants are Mala Ocean Tavern, Plantation House, Lahaina Grill, Mama's Fish House Restaurant and Nick's Fishmarket Maui.  We usually SCUBA one day using Lahaina Divers Inc and take the kids on a snorkel trip using Gemini Sailing Charters. In January 2015 we plan to do the Piiholo Ranch Ziplineand check out the music at Fleetwood's on Front St. Hiking at Iao Needle is fun too and we are thinking about a scenic trip on the Hana Hwy  We have enjoyed great Mai Tais on the roof top deck at Mai Tai Bar as well as shopping around Lahaina and seeing the sights such as the Lahaina Banyan Court and sometimes do our own snorkle adventure out in the water at Black Rock.

What luck. It is an awesome place to visit. Maui is blessed with fairly consistent weather throughout the year, although there are slight seasonal differences, it is warm and sunny almost the entire year (23-28 C in the winter and 33-40 in the summer). There will be occasional storms, but these can come anytime of the year.

You can get by without a car on the island, but you probably want one. Some of the key sights to visit are spread out and a car - even if you only use it a handful of times - is worth the flexibility. 

The island can be essentially divided into five regions for visitors. Lahaina-Kaanapalii, Kihei, Wailea, North Shore (Paia), and Hana. Each offers something different, but for a first time visitor I'd suggest either Lahaina-Ka'anapali or Kihei if you are trying to keep costs reasonable or Wailea if you are willing to spend a bit more.

Once you are on Maui, both Lana'i and Molokai are accessible for day trips. One of the most unique and enjoyable trips I've taken on the islands was a ferry from Lahaina over to Molokai where I rented a bike to ride over to the old, mostly empty colony where people with leprosy were held for decades (until the disease was cured). It's a very different side of Hawai'i and a closer representation of what the islands looked like before transcontinental flights and billion dollar hotels.

Is this your first time to Hawaii? If so, I would suggest visiting 2 Islands, Like Maui and The Big Island if you like Volcanoes, or Maui and Kaua'i if or if you like plenty to do as far as night life O'ahu (Honolulu). Resorts on Maui are plentiful, all depending on your budget and likes. If you want a resort with an authentic Hawaiian atmosphere and reasonably priced, I would check out Kaanapali Beach Hotel, they have free nightly hula shows( not to be confused with luau's), and is at the heart of Kaanapali Beach. If you want a resort with a huge pool, there is the Kaanapali Beach Club. Check out this website for things to do in Hawaii. www.gohawaii.com. It gives info on all of the Islands and also resorts, restaurants and activities, sight seeing and attractions.

Aloha, Sofia! Maui is great in the summertime (and all year-round, actually). Weather is almost always between 75 and 85 degrees, but gets colder as you move up the side of Haleakalā Volcano. We definitely recommend renting a car, and some of our favorite accommodations are the Iao Valley Inn in Wailuku, The ilikahi in Lahaina and Nalu Kai Lodge in Paia.

Check out this guide for some of the top things to do on Maui: http://molokinicrater.com/things-to-do-in-maui.php